Jordan 4 KAWS Real vs Fake: Grey and Black
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To tell a Jordan 4 KAWS real vs fake, first confirm which of the two 2017 pairs you have, the Cool Grey or the Black, from the style code on the size tag. Then check the pair in the order an authenticator does: the toe box, the heel and the XX on the heel tab, the tongue patch and the Air Jordan tag behind it, the stitching under the insole, the insole, the glow-in-the-dark outsole and the size tag. Every check compares your pair with a genuine KAWS Jordan 4 of the same colorway.
All comparison photos in this guide show the Cool Grey pair (style code 930155-003). The Black pair is built the same way, so the construction checks apply to both.
Table of Contents
[ open ]Cool Grey or Black? The Two KAWS Jordan 4s
KAWS and Jordan Brand released two colorways of the Air Jordan 4, both in 2017. Each has its own style code, printed on the size tag inside the shoe and on the box label. Check that both read the same code and that the code fits the colorway in your hands.
| Colorway | Style code | Release |
|---|---|---|
| Cool Grey | 930155-003 | 31 March 2017 (28 March in Greater China), $350 at retail |
| Black | 930155-001 | 27 November 2017 through an online raffle on KAWS's own store, $350 at retail, men's sizes only |
Both pairs have a suede upper with KAWS's gloved Companion hands worked into it, an XX on the heel tab and a glow-in-the-dark outsole. There was no later retro. So a KAWS Jordan 4 in another colorway, or one whose size tag dates fall years after 2017, does not match any release (see The Size Tag).
Friends and family samples of the KAWS Jordan 4 also exist and are sold on resale platforms as samples. They can differ from retail pairs, so a sample should only be compared with a known genuine sample, not with the photos in this guide.
The Toe Box
Start with the toe box from the side. On the genuine pair, the toe cap sits low and follows the line of the shoe down to the sole. On the fake in our photo, the toe cap rises higher, which gives the front of the shoe a boxy look.
Look at the midsole under it too. The fake's midsole is taller at the toe than the genuine one, so the whole front sits higher off the ground.
The gloved hands are worth a look while you are here. They are part of the suede on every genuine pair, and the outlines of the fingers and palms show across the toe and side panels in the genuine photo. The palm print is usually clearer on genuine pairs. Suede also changes with wear and brushing, so use the hands as a supporting check, not a verdict.
The Jordan 4 University Blue also has a suede upper, and its toe box check works the same way.
The Heel
Now turn the shoe and look at the heel from the side. The heel of the fake in our comparison is taller than the genuine one, and its heel counter is flatter. The genuine counter curves out more at the back. Compare the curve only with a genuine pair in a similar size, because the shape also changes with size and wear.
Authenticators also check two more heel details on Jordan 4s. The genuine heel usually curves evenly from top to bottom, while many fakes look pinched in the middle. And the visible Air unit sits tight in its window, while fakes often leave a gap around it. Neither is specific to the KAWS, so check both against a genuine KAWS pair.
Then find the triangular cut-out where the wing meets the heel. On the fake, the cut-out sits closer to the top of the shoe than it does on the genuine pair. On a genuine pair, its position matches from one pair to the next.
The suede nap varies. A new genuine pair can look fuzzier than the fake in our photo, but a worn or cleaned genuine pair can look flat, so do not judge the pair on how fuzzy the suede is.
The Heel Tab and XX Logo
On a KAWS Jordan 4, KAWS's XX takes the place of the usual logo on the heel tab, with AIR spelled out below it. On the genuine pair we compared, the strokes of each X are wide and the two Xs are large on the tab. On the fake, the Xs are smaller and thinner, with a different shape at the ends of the strokes.
A crisper XX is not a sign of a genuine pair. The fake in our photo looks sharper than the genuine one. Judge the size, width and shape of the strokes.
Above the logo, check the rows of embossed bumps. On the fake they are flatter and less defined than on the genuine tab. The Travis Scott Jordan 4, another suede collaboration, is checked in a similar way.
The Tongue Patch
The tongue patch is one of the quickest checks on this pair. On the genuine shoe, the patch narrows towards the top and follows the shape of the tongue. On the fake in our photo, it is a plain rectangle, so it looks wider and squarer at the top.
Next, look at the stitching around the patch. The genuine border runs close to the edge in short, even stitches. The fake's stitches are longer and sit further from the edge.
Then compare the embossed Jumpman. The genuine figure has defined fingers, a clear ball and a separate gap between the arm and the body. The fake copies the outline, but the details inside it are soft. The Jordan 4 Union Off Noir is another collaboration with a reworked tongue, and the same close look at the logo applies there.
The Air Jordan Tag Behind the Tongue
Behind the tongue there is a small tag with AIR JORDAN embossed in it. On the genuine pair, the tag is thin and lies flat against the tongue, and the letters are small and close together.
On the fake in our photo, the tag is thicker, the letters are larger and spaced further apart, and the stitching around the edge is less even.
The Stitching Under the Insole
Lift the insole and look at the stitching that joins the upper to the board underneath. On the genuine pair, dense stitches run all the way around the edge with even spacing. On the fake in our photo, the stitches are much sparser and leave gaps along the edge.
The fake also shows drawn guide lines on the board. Look past those and judge the stitching, because that is what the photo separates most clearly.
The Insole
Turn the insole over. The underside of the genuine insole in our photo is textured, with a speckled foam surface and moulded ridges across the forefoot. The fake's underside is smooth, plain foam with no ridges.
Check the top of the insole as well. The KAWS Jordan 4 has a co-branded insole print, and on fake insoles the design is reported to differ when you zoom in. Compare the print with a genuine pair of the same colorway, and remember that insole prints wear off on genuine pairs too.
The Glow-in-the-Dark Outsole
Both KAWS Jordan 4s have an icy, glow-in-the-dark outsole that reveals KAWS illustrations when it glows. It is one of the details sellers rarely photograph, so ask for a picture of the outsole in daylight and a second one in the dark.
In the dark, check that the whole outsole glows and that the KAWS artwork appears where it does on a genuine pair. Fakes with mirrored glow artwork have been reported, so compare the direction of the graphics too. Judge the pattern and how much of the sole glows, not the shade of the glow, because brightness and colour change with how long the sole was charged and with the camera.
The Size Tag
The size tag sewn inside the tongue or collar is the busiest label on a pair of Jordans. It shows the size in several systems, the country of manufacture, the style code, a UPC barcode, a short factory code and two dates. Nike has never said what the two dates mean. They are often read as the production window, but that is not confirmed, so treat them only as a rough check that they suit the release. Tags printed from around 2019 often add a QR code, and many genuine older tags have a barcode only. Counterfeiters copy genuine tags field by field, so a tag that agrees with itself shows the label is consistent, not that the shoes are real.
On this pair, the dates are the most useful field. The genuine tag in our photo reads 930155-003 with the dates 10/18/16 and 01/03/17, both before the March 2017 release, and it has a barcode only, as expected for a tag from that time. The fake tag also reads 930155-003, but its dates are in 2020. The KAWS Jordan 4 was never restocked, so dates three years after the release do not fit it.
On the genuine Jordan tags we read, both dates fell before the pair's release, the later one by two to five months. Dates that start after the release are normally a question for the seller, because restocked pairs can carry later dates, but no KAWS restock exists to explain them.
Dates that fit the release prove nothing alone, because fakes copy the dates of genuine tags too. One fake Jordan 4 tag carried the same factory code and plausible dates as the genuine pair. Check the print as well. On the fake, the tag is crumpled where it is sewn in, and its numbers are printed less evenly than on the genuine one. The two tags also name different countries, but the country alone proves nothing. The same tag checks work on every Jordan 4, as our guide on how to tell if Jordan 4s are fake explains.
The Box Label and Packaging
The label on the end of a Jordan box repeats the shoe's details: the model name, the style code, the size, the colorway and a UPC barcode, and recent labels add a QR code. On a genuine pair in its own box, the UPC on the label matches the one on the size tag, while the box QR carries a different code from the tag QR. A second barcode sticker from a resale platform is normal, and so is a regional label on pairs sold in Asia. Box labels are the easiest part to reprint, so compare fonts and spacing only against a genuine box from the same release. A missing or replacement box is not a sign of a fake.
A barcode that scans proves little. Fakes print real Nike UPCs, and a fake barcode passes the barcode's own check digit too. A label can also print a real Nike barcode that belongs to another shoe or size, which is why the barcode, the style code and the size must agree. So check that the UPC on the tag matches the box, then that the number belongs to your style code and size. Recent tags print 14 digits starting with 00 after "UPC", and the box prints 12 digits plus a small two-digit add-on, so drop the add-on and the leading zeros before you compare. To read a style code or UPC field by field, use our Nike and Jordan code checker, and see what a Nike QR code and UPC can show for what these numbers can and cannot prove.
The KAWS pairs are reported to ship with a dust bag printed with KAWS's Companion, XX tissue paper and a hang tag. A poorly printed dust bag has been reported as a sign of a fake. Many resold pairs have lost some of these extras, so missing packaging is not a sign of a fake either. Judge the shoes first.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do KAWS Jordan 4s run true to size?
Yes, for most wearers. Take your usual Jordan 4 size.
How do I tell a real Black KAWS Jordan 4 from a fake?
Use the same checks as for the Cool Grey: the toe box, the heel tab XX, the tongue patch shape, the stitching under the insole, the glow outsole and the size tag. The style code on the tag and box should read 930155-001, and the tag dates should be plausible for a November 2017 release.
Do KAWS Jordan 4s glow in the dark?
Yes. The outsole of both pairs glows in the dark and reveals KAWS illustrations. A photo of the sole in the dark is a useful extra check (see The Glow-in-the-Dark Outsole).
Is there an Olive KAWS Jordan 4?
No olive pair was released. When photos of an olive KAWS Jordan 4 circulated in 2017, KAWS himself called the pair fake. Only the Cool Grey and the Black came out.
Can a fake KAWS Jordan 4 come in a real box?
Yes. Genuine boxes and labels are sold separately and reprinted, so a correct box proves nothing about the shoes inside. Check that the style code and UPC on the box label match the size tag, then check the shoes themselves.
Is there a new KAWS Jordan 4 coming?
A KAWS Jordan 4 sample was reported in 2025, but it was not released. Treat any "new" KAWS Jordan 4 offered for sale as unconfirmed until Jordan Brand announces it.
Where Can I Get My KAWS Jordan 4s Authenticated?
If you are still unsure after these checks, send clear photos of both shoes from the side, the toe box, the heel tab, the tongue patch, the Air Jordan tag behind the tongue, the size tag inside each shoe, the insole from both sides, the stitching under the insole and the outsole in daylight and in the dark. LegitGrails authenticates Jordan from photos you upload, with results in under 30 minutes and a digital certificate with every order.
If your KAWS Jordan 4s fail any of these steps, send photos to our Jordan authentication service.
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